1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a device for providing refrigeration to a diffusion cloud chamber.
2. Description of Prior Art
The diffusion cloud chamber is used to observe cosmic rays by making visible the trajectory of ionizing radiation. This instrument relies on the cooling of a vapor below its saturation temperature to a supersaturated state. If ionized nuclei are present, as would be created by cosmic rays, the excess vapor condenses on them to form a visible cloud trail.
Two cooling methods are presently used in diffusion cloud chambers, both of which have distinct disadvantages. The first uses a closed refrigeration cycle which is mechanically complex, inherently bulky, and expensive to implement. The second uses dry-ice to produce the required temperatures. Dry-ice is expensive, difficult to store and handle, and is not available commercially in many locations. As a result, the diffusion cloud chamber has found relatively little use, limited to universities and large research laboratories. This invention eliminates the cooling difficulties in the diffusion cloud chamber and allows operation in virtually any classroom.